USD’s men’s basketball program made some moves this offseason.

Coach Steve Lavin added nine transfers and four freshman recruits, including two shooting guards.

And last week, USD announced it had officially added 6-foot-10 center Piotr Winkowski and Bosnian League MVP Vuk Boskovic to the roster. The 22-year-olds arrived on campus in time for the start of classes and are expected to provide some needed size to a team that looks like it could make some noise in the West Coast Conference.

“We recruited some elite talent,” Lavin said. “Our program is ready to make the next step.  We are moving forward with this program.”

The Toreros have a new, $35 million basketball practice facility and an athletic director, Kimya Massey, who understands what the Toreros could be capable of. WCC powerhouse Gonzaga will leave for the reconstituted Pac-12 following this season; the move could leave a power vacuum at the top of a league that has been dominated by the Zags and Saint Mary’s for years.

“How nice is this school? Why wouldn’t you want to play here?: Massey said. “This place is gorgeous. Fantastic facility.”

Said Lavin: “The jolt of energy is palpable. The new facility. The relaunch. We opted into the revenue sharing.  The alignment is here. The NIL. The new facility. We have a new strength and conditioning coach just for football and basketball.  We are adjusted to win. We centralized our program. We are winning. I feel like we are in a good place.  We have funding. We have a collective now. Our women’s program as well.”

Massey is aggressively changing the men’s basketball program as well as others on campus. USD’s women’s basketball program is in the hands of first-year coach Blanche Alverson, the former associate head coach at Georgia Tech. The Toreros women’s soccer team is enjoying early success under second-year coach Greg LaPorte.

A former Michigan State pitcher, Massey is driven to win in all sports. It’s especially important in men’s basketball, the most high-profile program on campus.

“We are going to change these programs around,” Massey said. “USD has the resources to win. And we are going to win. I promise that. As long as I’m here, we are going to win.”

What they’re saying

UCSD’s hire of athletic director Andy Fee this week was met with praise from many of his former colleagues.

Washington athletic director Pat Chun said Fee, a former assistant AD at USD and AD at Long Beach State, is “someone who has demonstrated an ability to lead athletic departments, build strong relationships, support student-athletes, and uplift university communities.”

“Andy is a difference maker, and I look forward to watching him impact the Tritons,” he said.

Seattle University AD Shaney Fink called Fee “a proven leader whose vision and commitment to student-athletes make him an outstanding choice” as AD.

Fee spent the last year at Seattle U after a stint as the chief of staff at Washington. He and Fink first worked together at USD, where Fink spent 17 years as the highest-ranking woman in the Toreros’ department.

“From our time together at San Diego to our recent collaboration at Seattle University, I have always admired Andy’s energy, creativity and dedication,” Fink said. “I know he will make a powerful and lasting impact at UCSD, and I look forward to the spirited competition we’ll share in the WCC.”

U-T sports editor Ryan Finley contributed to this report. 

 

Originally Published: September 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM PDT